Banner Children’s at Diamond Children’s Medical Center opens new pediatric Emergency Department
Banner Health recently marked the opening of a new pediatric Emergency Department at Banner Children's at Diamond Children's Medical Center in Tucson. The expansion delivers faster care, shorter wait times and specialized spaces designed specifically for children's unique medical and emotional needs. Generous community support helped fuel this greatly anticipated new era in emergency care for our youngest patients.
The new space features 22 treatment rooms, expanding capacity and improving access to emergency care. Families will benefit from a dedicated pediatric entrance and check-in process, separate from the adult Emergency Department, ensuring children receive immediate, focused attention from the moment they arrive.
The space includes:
- Sensory-friendly rooms designed to create calming environments for neuro-divergent children
- A dedicated behavioral health room providing a safe, appropriate space for children
- Family-centered rooms where parents can stay close during treatment
- A kids' playroom where patients and siblings can relax, play and feel more at ease
"We created a dedicated pediatric environment for the community," said Nathanial Fox, MD, pediatric emergency director. "The moment you walk into the colorful lobby, dedicated staff and specialists prioritize pediatric patients. The ED is a gateway to many pediatric services our organization offers, and we want that experience to start from the moment families step foot on our campus."
The project brought together clinical leaders, administrators, design and construction teams, project managers and patient families who helped inform decisions about how the department should function based on real-world needs.
Along with the Banner Health Foundation’s Highest and Best Use fund, major donors included The Warden Family and The Bert W. Martin Foundation, Diamond Foundation, Larry and Christina Johnston, and Tony and Angelica Sharpe.
The department is staffed by a dedicated team of emergency physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, techs, medics, and therapists, all with specialized training in pediatrics and available around the clock.
As southern Arizona's only Level II pediatric trauma center, the pediatric ED provides expertise and subspecialties not available elsewhere in the region. The facility connects directly to pediatric subspecialty services including surgery, oncology, cardiology, neurosurgery, intensive care, fetal surgery, the pediatric intensive care unit and trauma care. Banner serves as the regional referral destination for children requiring advanced or specialized emergency care.